The Wonderful Thing ABout Dee
by SinnamonGirl
Summary: After a strange accusation by Bikky and Carol, Ryo visits Dee to discuss the differences in their personalities.


The Wonderful Thing About Dee

By: SinnamonGirl

Disclaimer: Fake belongs to Sanami Matoh.

Winnie-the-Pooh belongs to A.A. Milne and Walt Disney

"The wonderful thing about Tiggers, is Tiggers are wonderful things!"

Summary: After a strange accusation by Bikky and Carol, Ryo visits Dee to discuss the differences in their personalities.

Note: Just a silly piece of fluff I wrote while getting over the flu (and watching Pooh to cheer me up). No seriousness ahead!

Dee has invited Ryo over as he did every night that he didn't invite himself over to his blond partner's home. As usual, Ryo had turned him down, saying he needed to be home with Bikky and Cal. Dee had just shrugged, thinking that anyone who preferred the company of monkey brats to his own particular charms was just crazy.

So he was more than a little surprised when a knock sounded on his door around 7:30 - and the visitor turned out to be none other than a sheepish looking Ryo! "Hey, Dee," he said, standing in his partner's doorway, hair and clothes damp.

Dee raised an eyebrow at him. "Hey. You're all wet."

"Uh, yeah. It's raining."

"And you decided to go dancing in it?" Dee asked, turning to get a towel. "Having a Gene Kelly sort of day?"

Ryo came inside and gratefully accepted the towel. "Uh, no. More like a blustery kind of day." He smiled to himself. "It wasn't raining when I left."

"And you didn't have an umbrella stashed on your person?" Dee teased. "I'm surprised. You're usually ready for everything."

Ryo ignored him. "I would have called, but you did invite me over earlier."

"No problem, dude. You're always welcome. Just surprised me is all." He shook his head at the still-dripping Ryo. "Hey, why don't you change into something of mine and hang that stuff up to dry. I can make us some hot cider wine if you want."

Dee didn't know what it was about Ryo - but he made him think of courtesies he never would have offered anyone else. Maybe it was because he knew Ryo would appreciate them. He couldn't imagine making hot wine for Drake or Ted - they'd just laugh at him.

"Sounds good, Dee. Thanks." He looked around the apartment. "I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

Dee rolled his eyes. Ryo had to know by now that he wasn't getting any company, at least not the kind you could "interrupt." "I sent the strippers out when you knocked," he replied.

Ryo feigned interest. "Male or female ones?"

"Both, of course. I mean if you're gonna have a good time…" He winked. "If I'd have known you were interested I'd have told them to stick around."

"Yeah, too bad about that," Ryo said sarcastically.

"There's still me, though," Dee said suggestively, wagging one eyebrow.

"Learned all their tricks, huh?"

"Nah, but I've got tricks all my own…"

"I'm going to go get dressed," Ryo said, rolling his eyes.

Dee smiled before turning toward the kitchen. Rolling eyes were an improvement over Ryo's usual response. The chances of getting in a kiss - or a pounce - seemed favorable.

Ryo's first sip of mulled wine made him sigh. The heated alcohol tasted of cinnamon, cloves, and honeyed apples and it sent warmth racing through him. "Thanks, Dee."

Dee waved him off. "So what's on your mind?"

Ryo looked surprised. "Huh?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"I can't just come visit you?" Ryo asked over the rim of his glass.

"Sure, anytime. I was just asking what you were thinking right now, but that gave it away - you _do _have something on your mind. What did you come over to talk about? A case?" When Ryo only took another sip of wine, Dee began to worry. "Aww, it's not about the paperwork, is it? I know I've been pretty lousy about that lately but I was gonna catch up on Monday, honest."

Ryo's eyes were smiling. "Dee, have you ever seen Winnie the Pooh?"

"Huh?"

"Pooh, you know, the yellow bear who eats honey?" He stood to get more wine, an action that got Dee's attention.

He waited until Ryo joined him to answer. "Pooh? Yeah, sure, lots of times. It was one of the videos Mother kept on hand at the orphanage for the little ones. We had most of the classic Disney ones though. Why?"

"So you know all the characters and stuff?"

"Sure. Eeyore, the donkey, Rabbit, Tigger, Kanga, Roo, Owl, Piglet." He chuckled, remembering. "Once, some of the kids used them as representations of the seven deadly sins in Sunday class… he he… Pooh was gluttony, Tigger was lust, jeez I can't remember them all. I think Rabbit was greed 'cause he was hoarding all those vegetables all the time. Owl was pride. Roo was envy 'cause he wanted to be Tigger. Gopher must have been anger and Eeyore was sloth."

Ryo was laughing too. "That's crazy!"

"Well, they were just kids. So what about Pooh, anyway?"

Ryo colored a little, flushing with embarrassment and the heat of the wine. "I guess it's silly…"

"Probably," Dee agreed. "But if you don't talk about it you'll just keep working it around in your head until it drives you crazy. I know you."

Ryo smiled at him, a little guilty, because Dee's words reminded him of his behavior during their last case. After discovering that their current suspects might be the same people who had killed his parents, Ryo had concealed the information from Dee and sought revenge by himself. Fortunately, Dee was hard to put off and he had prevented Ryo from ruining his career and committing murder.

Dee lifted his chin, running a finger across his face. "Out with it."

Ryo leaned into his hand; the touch had felt surprisingly good. "Well, it's just something I heard Bikky and Cal talking about." His words had become slightly fuzzy from the wine; Dee guessed that he was feeling pretty good, and decided to monitor further drinking. "The Pooh DVD came out the other day - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, I think. Cal came over and made Bikky watch it. They were laughing the whole time. They called you Tigger, and me the Rabbit."

Dee chuckled, he could see the connection. Tigger always was trying to get "old long ears" to like him, while the neat, orderly rabbit was always trying to avoid being pounced on by the overexcited tiger. _And Tigger being Lust and all – yeah that fits. _"So?"

Ryo squirmed in his seat, obviously reluctant to continue. "Well, Rabbit's all concerned about vegetables," he said at last.

His muffled tone and the ridiculousness of the statement had Dee laughing until he had to wipe his eyes. "Ryo, buddy, you're not making any sense anymore!"

"I'm not drunk!" Ryo defended himself. "You're just not… you don't understand. If what the kids see in me is the Rabbit, then I'm all work and no play. I'm not fun, Dee! Tigger is at least fun!"

"Fun, fun, fun," Dee corrected, citing the theme song. "But Ryo… let me try to make sense out of this. You're worried that the kids don't like you because you're not fun? Is that right?"

"Well… sort of. I mean, you play with them, Dee. Even though you and Bikky fight, he still likes to roughhouse with you, to go to games with you and stuff. I just feel like I'm missing out."

"Oh Ryo." Dee clasped his shoulder and shook his head. "You don't have to be a certain personality type for kids to love you. You're important to them. Sure, I'm fun. I'm good at getting hot dogs at a basketball game or winning things in the arcade, but I wouldn't remember to check Bikky's homework or help Cal get ready for a dance. You're great with kids, buddy. I knew that the first time I ever saw you with Biks."

"But you understood him better than me. You knew why he wanted to stay."

"Ah, that's just 'cause we were raised the same way. But you got him off the streets. He's gonna be somebody because of you. That has to make you proud, Ryo."

He nodded. "It does."

"And you know you're always welcome to come with us when we go the game and stuff. I'd like having you there. So would the kids."

"I'm usually working on dinner or something."

"Well, split that up between all of us. Bikky's not too young to help you around the house. And you might have to get a laser pointer to show me where I need to be, but I can help too."

Ryo smiled at his best friend. "Maybe I will come next time. I don't really like basketball, but…"

"But it's not about basketball. Cal doesn't like it either. She's there for Bikky 'cause she likes to be around him. So what's fun for him can he fun for her too. It's why he goes to the mall with her - returning the favor."

Ryo nodded, thoughtful. "So maybe kids need Tiggers and Rabbits?" he asked.

Dee wondered if Ryo was saying what he thought he was saying. "Hey man, if they had to put up with both of us all the time it'd be heffalumps and woozles instead of Tiggers and Rabbits real fast I bet!"

Ryo leaned forward and caught his lips. He tasted of burnt cinnamon, of fall. When he drew back, Dee brought a hand to his mouth in surprise. "Ryo, what are you doing?"

Ryo just gave a mischievous smile. "Practicing my pouncing."

Dee grabbed him around the waist with a growl. "Well, pouncing's what Tiggers do best. Let me show you."

Halfway through their wrestling-kissing-make-out session, Ryo surprised Dee with a gentle kiss on the nose. "You know what I like about you, Dee?"

Dee shook his head. He couldn't think of a thing.

"You're the only one."


End file.
